Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-11-11

she was perhaps unmindful of the tramp
Hing of horse without or the sound of
voices in the hall below. Neither was I'M
common Mt that time. Although pro-
tected by the Continental army from for
age or the rudencss of soldcry, the Bios
som farm had always been hating place
FOR passing troopers, commissary team
sters and accommodating officers. Gen
Sullivan and Col. Hamilton had watered
their horses at its broad substantial way
side trough and sat in the shade Of its
porch Miss Thankful was only awak-
ened from her day dream by the entrance
of the negro farm hand, C@s1r.
40 Cod Missy Thankful, them
sogcrs is & wine into camp in ta3 road, I
reckon, for thcy's jest making thcysevs
free afo' the house, and they's an officer
III the company room with his spurs
cooked on the table, readin' a book"
\ quick flame leaped into Thankful's
check, and her pretty brows knit them
selves over darlenng eyes. She arose
from her work no longer the moody girl,
but an indignant goddess, and, pushing
the servant aside, swept down the stairs
and threw open the door.
I'm officer sitting by the fire in an easy,
aounging attitude that justified the serv
ants criticism, arose instantly with an air
of evident embarrassment and surprise
shat was, however, as quickly dominated
and controlled by gentleman's breeding.
II beg your pardon" he said, with q
deep inclination of his handsome head,
but l had no idea that there was any
e ho,,eo1,,1J AZ ut
3east, a lady" He besitated moment,
catching in the raising of her brown
fringed lids u sudden revelation of her
beauty and partly losing his composure.
81 am Maj. Van Zandt; have the honor
OF addressing"
Thankful Blossom" said Thankful a
little proudly, divining, with n woman's
swift instinct, the cause of the majors
hesitation. But her triumph was checked
by Il new embarrassment visible in the
face of the officer at the mention Of her
name.
Thankful Blossom" replied the officer
quickly. "Nou are, then, the daughter
uf Abncr Blo-som?'
Certainly" said Thankful, turning
sle7 ihquring eyes upon him. Gle will
'oe here hetimes. lie has gone only to
Moristown - In new fear that had
taken possession of her, her questioning
eyes asked, "lias he not?"
Tie officer, answering her eyes rather
chan her lips, came toward her gravely
F'He will not return today, Mistress Thank
Eul- Tor perhaps even tomorrow. lie is
III prisoner
Thankful opened her brown eyes aggres-
5ivolY on the major. "a prisoner-for
yThat@'
For aiding and giving comfort to the
enemy, and for harboring spies" replied
Ghe major with military curtness.
Mistress Thankful's cheek flushed
,3hg',ly at the last sentence; arccollcction
of ne scene ON the porch and the baron's
stolen kiss flashed across her, and for a
no"!tnt she looked rs guilty as if the man
.Jefo' e her had been witness to the deed.
lie Jaw it, and misinterpreted her con-
.tus.un.
"5eliJlc, then, =" said Mistress Thankful,
slightly raising her voice and standing
SOU rely before the major, "belike, then,
I $: aid be Il prisoner too; for the guests
Of 8 house, if they be spies, were my
= Ut anu, dS lily lulucI = dtuSnltG, L
was their hostess; ay, man, and right glad
80 be the hostess Of such gallant gentle
men gentlemen, / warrant, too fine to
insult a defenseless girl; gentlemen spies
That did not cock their boots on the table
or turn an honest farmers house into a
gaproom."
An expression Of half pain, half amuse-
cnent, covered the face of the major but
he made no other reply than by pro-
Iound and graceful bow. Courteous and
sleprccatory as it was it apparently exas-
s)era ed Mistress Thankful only the more.
"And pray who are these spies and who
S II nflrmer?" said Mistress Thankful,
eacir the soldier, with one hand trucu-
Gently placed on her flexible hip and the
other slipped behind her. "Methinks It's
,Jnly honest we should know when and
now we have entertained both"
"a our father, Mistress Thankful" said
Maj Van Zandt gravely, "has long been
inspected of favoring the enemy; but it
mas been the policy Of the commander-in-
,;hief to overlook the political preferences
Of uon-combatants and to strive to win
45heir allegiance to the good cause by lib
s.ral privileges But when it was lately
discovered that two strangers, although
bearing a pass from him, have been fire.
eIueutcrs OF tins house under fictitious
Ilamcs'---
''You mean Count Ferdinand and the
Baron Pomposo," said Thankful quickly
1.-TWO honest gentlefolk; and if they
che. to pay their devoirs to lass-al-
.hc IN, perhaps, not n quality lady, yet
IN oucst girl''-
Dear Mistress Thankful" said the
M ,'r with a profound bow and smile,
'-ha,, spite of its courtesy, drove Thank
ful 10 the verge Of wrathful Mysteries, 'if
you establish that fact-and from this
slight acquaintance with your Charms, I
1oubt not you will-your father is safe
from further inquiry or detention. The
>commander-in-chief is q gentleman who
Ias never moderated the influence Of